Tarpaulin ventilator



March 13, 1962 E. G. ROZEK TARPAULIN VENTILATOR Filed Dec. 18 IEHg-i INVENTOR. EDWAPD a eozee United States Patent Ofifice 3,024,71 7 Patented Mar. 13, 1962 3,024,717 TARPAULIN VENTILATOR Edward G. Rozek, Box 295, Perry, Fla. Filed Dec. 18, 1959, Ser. No. 860,413 3 Claims. (Cl. 98-37) This invention relates to a novel and improved rotatable air-scoop ventilator for tarpaulins, such as are used as covers for boats, trucks, automobiles, and elsewhere.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical, cflicient, and easily installed device of the kind indicated, which, when installed, is securely connected to the tarpaulin and wherein the air-scoop is frictionally held against being rotated out of adjusted positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated above, whose air-scoop is rotatably adjustable through 360 degrees, together with a mounting annulus, on which the scoop is fixed, the edge of the annulus being frictionally engaged between hems of tarpaulin material, which are secured together and to and around the edge of a ventilating opening provided in the tarpaulin.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and th accompanying drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a ventilator of the invention installed on a part of a tarpaulin;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2; and,

FIGURES 4 and 5 are fragmentary top plan views of FIGURE 1, showing the air-scoop in different adjusted positions.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral generally designates a tarpaulin or other flexible sheet, in which is formed a circular opening 12, which is larger in diameter than a ventilator 14 to be installed on the tarpaulin in covering relation to the opening 12.

Suitably fixed upon the upper surface 16 of the tarpaulin 10, as by means of stitching 18, is a flexible fabric mounting annulus 20, preferably of the same material as the tarpaulin 10. The annulus 20 comprises upper and lower layers or plies 22 and 24, respectively, whose radially inward edges are turned inwardly toward each other, as indicated at 26 and 28, respectively, to provide friction flanges 30 and 32, respectively, which are engaged with the inward sides of the plies, and are suitably secured thereto, as by stitching 34 and 36. The top ply 22 has an outer edge portion 38 which is folded around the outer edge 40 of the lower ply 24, and engaged with the lower side thereof, as indicated at 42. The stitching 18 extends through the edge portions 30 and 42 and both of the plies 22 and 24, and through the tarpaulin 10, at the edge of the opening 12, so as to firmly secure the annulus 20 in place.

The ventilator 14 comprises a rigid flat circular plate 44, of plastic or metal, having a free peripheral edge 46, and having a centered preferably square opening 48 therein. A dirt and bug screen 50 extends across the opening 48, at the lower or inward side 52 of the plate 44 and is secured, in suitable manner, to the plate 44.

Fixed upon the upper or outer side 54 of the ventilator plate 44 is a rectangular air-scoop 56, which is somewhat larger in area than the ventilator disc opening 48. The scoop 56 comprises triangular parallel spaced sidewalls 58 which have external lateral flanges 60 extending along their lower or base edges and are suitably fixed upon the disc 44 at and along opposite sides of the opening 48, preferably in spaced relation thereto. A declining flat top wall 62 extends between and is fixed to the upper or hypotenuse edges of the sidewalls 58, as indicated at 64.

The lower or depressed end of the top wall 62 is suitably secured, as indicated at 66, to the disc 44, at a point near to and extending along another edge 68 of the opening 48. The top wall 62 has a free elevated or upper edge 70 which is in line with the altitude edges 72 of the sidewalls 58, which are spaced from the edge 74 of the opening 48 opposite the edge 68 thereof, so that perpendicular fall, of such as rain, into the opening 48, is prevented by the top wall 62, and the sidewalls 58.

The free peripheral edge 46 of the ventilator disc 44 and an adjacent edge portion of the disc 44 are frictionally engaged between the plies 22 and 24 of the mounting annulus 20, with the plies thereby spread away from each other, under the tension inherent in the material of the plies. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, additional stitching 76 extends through the plies 22 and 24, at locations spaced radially inwardly from the stitching 18, so that the plies are prevented from being spread away from each other, in the region of the stitching 76, so as to define a groove bottom 78, with which the free edge 46 of the disc 44 engages, the spread portion of the plies being the sides of a groove 80.

The internal friction flanges 30 and 32 on the plies 22 and 24, respectively, not only serve to prevent unravelling of the plies at their inward edges, but engage related sides of the ventilator disc 44 so as to act as friction brakes thereon, which hold the ventilator 14 in rotatably adjusted positions in the annulus 20.

As shown in FIGURE 4, maximum intake of air through the ventilator 14 and the tarpaulin opening is obtained by rotating the ventilator 14 relative to the tarpaulin to put the open end 82 thereof in facing relation to a prevailing breeze. In inclement weather, as when it is raining or snowing, the ventilator is rotated to a reversed position, so that the opening 82 is directly away from the prevailing breeze or Wind. As shown in FIGURE 5, the ventliator can be adjusted to a median position, with its scoop opening 82 facing one side with the scoop extending crosswise of the prevailing breeze.

While there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated a's being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a flexible fabric tarpaulin having an opening therein, a mounting annulus fixed to the tarpaulin and extending around said opening, said annulus being formed of opposed upper and lower flexible fabric plies having the inner edges of said plies reaching into said opening, the plies being fixed together at a location spaced outwardly from the inner edges of the annulus, the parts of said plies between the aforesaid fixed location and the inner edges forming a groove therebetween, a rigid circular ventilator disc smaller in diameter than the tarpaulin opening, said disc having a peripheral edge rotatably engaged in said groove, said disc having a central opening, and an air-scoop fixedly mounted upon said disc over and around said disc opening.

2. In combination, a flexible fabric tarpaulin having an opening therein, a mounting annulus fixed to the tarpaulin and extending around said opening, said annulus having an inner edge reaching into said opening and formed with a groove extending therearound, a rigid circular ventilator disc smaller in diameter than the tarpaulin opening, said disc having a peripheral edge rotatably engaged in said groove, said disc having a central opening, and an air-scoop fixedly mounted upon said disc over and around said disc opening, said mounting annulus being of flexible fabric material and comprising opposed upper and lower plies between which the edge of the ventilator disc is engaged, rneans fixing said plies together at a location spaced outwardly from the inner edge of the annulus, and with the plies defining a groove bottom against which the peripheral edge of the ventilator disc bears rotatably.

3. In combination, a flexible fabric tarpaulin having an opening therein, a mounting annulus fixed to the tarpaulin and extending around said opening, said annulus having an inner edge reaching into said opening and formed with a groove extending therearound, a rigid circular ventilator disc smaller in diameter than the tarpaulin opening, said disc having a peripheral edge rotatably engaged in said groove,said disc having a central opening, and an air-scoop fixedly mounted upon said disc over and around said disc opening, said mounting annulus being of flexible fabric material and comprising opposed upper and lower plies between which the edge of the ventilator disc is engaged, means fixing said plies together at a location spaced outwardly from the inner edge of the annulus, and with the plies defining a groove bottom against which the peripheral edge of the ventilator disc bears rotatably, the plies having internal friction flanges on their facing sides which are engaged with related sides of the ventilator disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 35,032 Morgan et al. Apr. 22, 1862 380,207 Knobeloch Mar. 27, 1888 1,374,249 Thomas Apr. 12, 1921 1,753,572 Lindstrom Apr. 8, 1930 2,294,363 Brockway Sept. 1, 1942 2,715,866 Mousel Aug. 23, 1955 2,839,986 Herman June 24, 1958 

